Chapter 0004: The Essentials of Taiping

Call——

Zhang Jiao, Gong Du, and Liu Bi possessed the treasure mountain without realizing it, yet allowed him to take advantage of a great opportunity

Wang Can shook his head, casting aside the myriad complex thoughts in his mind, and focused intently on studying the "Essential Techniques for Peaceful Governance" in his hands

Wang Can smiled and said, "Well, it's best not to have such thoughts. Since they want to take a break, ask those who do not wish to participate in the training to leave directly; they can rest indefinitely from now on."

Outside the tent, footsteps sounded urgently.

Wang Can put away the Taiping Heavenly Book that was placed on the table, his expression returning to calm, and said: "Come in!"

Outside the tent, a soldier whispered

Wang Can picked up a small knife and pried open the cover page of the "Essentials of Taiping"

Since the Yellow Turban Army defeated the officials and soldiers, the troops around Runan City have vanished without a trace, as if they were afraid. Wang Can found this matter somewhat strange and shared his thoughts with Liu Bi. However, being of low status, his words were not taken seriously by Liu Bi and Gong Du. The two Yellow Turban leaders merely nodded, indicating they were aware of the situation, and then instructed Wang Can to intensify military training and strengthen their own capabilities, showing no belief in Wang Can's words.

After breakfast, Wang Can sat in the tent, carefully studying the Taiping Yaoshu that Liu Bi had bestowed upon him

Wang Can lightly tapped the surface of the table with his right middle finger and said in a deep voice: "What I want are fearless and valiant soldiers, not cowards. If they cannot endure this little hardship, they should not even think about going into battle with bare arms to fight. Although training and studying are arduous, with sweat pouring down all day and clothes soaked through, the reward is the ability to survive on the battlefield. The hardship now is to ensure survival in battle; the sweat now is to prevent bloodshed on the battlefield. You tell them my words: those who wish to stay may stay, and those who wish to leave should do so early. I believe there will be some who are willing to stay."

In fact, this cannot be blamed on Zhang Jiao, Gong Du, or Liu Bi. When these three held the Taiping Yao Shu, they would inevitably think of the South China Immortal. With such preconceived notions, they approached their studies with a sense of reverence, completely unaware that there were hidden layers within the pages of the book.

On the silk, apart from the "Zhenwu Chapter Secret Manual," there are no other inscriptions. The entire silk is adorned from top to bottom with beautifully embroidered little figures, which are divided into three groups, each containing nine figures. Each figure assumes a different posture, and there are many crimson dots on their bodies. Wang Can, having studied acupoint charts in his previous life, naturally understands that these crimson dots represent the acupoints and meridians on the figures. His gaze falls on the first figure; he glances at it and continues downward. After examining all twenty-seven figures, a deep joy fills Wang Can's eyes. The different postures of these twenty-seven figures must surely represent methods of cultivation.

The soldier cast a glance at the "Art of Peace" on the desk, his eyes revealing a fervent light, but he immediately lowered his head and respectfully said: "My lord, the situation is as follows: the continuous training over the past half month has taken a toll on the soldiers' bodies, and they are extremely fatigued. I would like to inquire if it would be possible to grant a day of leave."

The front page is made of double-layered paper, and when it is opened, a thin, smooth, light yellow silk is revealed between the layers. Wang Can caught a glimpse of it, and his heart skipped a beat; his mouth fell open in shock. He quickly looked up at the tent, and seeing that no one had entered, he let out a long sigh of relief. He secretly scolded himself for being insufficiently vigilant, having made no preparations at all. If this matter were to be discovered, the items concealed within the book would likely be beyond his reach.

Fortunately, Wang Can's keen eyes caught sight of the shadowy part in the front page

Upon hearing Wang Can's praise, the soldier joyfully replied, "I have attended a private school and read a bit, so I understand some principles."

Wang Can praised, "You certainly understand many principles, which is not simple, not simple."

The subordinate respectfully said: "I am foolish and ignorant, I kindly ask you, my lord, to enlighten me."

"Hmm, you have read books, very good, very good!" Wang Can nodded, smiling with satisfaction, but his expression instantly fell, and he said in a deep voice: "You have read books and understand the principles, but all of this is merely cleverness; you have not grasped the purpose of my training soldiers in this manner."

Above the silk, five large characters are embroidered: Zhenwu Pian Secret Manual

"Yes, my lord!" The soldier's expression changed, his face bearing a serious look. He bowed to Wang Can and then walked out.

The soldier said: "My lord, as a hundred-man commander, you should ideally have a full complement of one hundred men under your command. However, there are many hundred-man commanders, and the number of soldiers is insufficient. The soldiers assigned to your command number only around seventy. Given the current intensity of your training, the soldiers are struggling to cope and may leave your service to join other commanders. Such a situation would be very detrimental to you, and I urge you to reconsider.

There is a hidden meaning, and Wang Can felt a stir in his heart

The soldier's mouth was wide open, revealing an expression of utter astonishment: "My lord, I have a few words I wish to say, but I am unsure whether I should speak them."

"Sir?" a soldier whispered

Wang Can opened his sleepy eyes, rubbed his somewhat sore eyes, stretched his body after getting up, put on his clothes, and then got up to wash up. Currently, Wang Can lives in the military camp, and due to Liu Pi and Gong Du, he has been assigned a separate tent, which serves as his office and residence.

Martial Arts Manual? Is this the cultivation method of unparalleled martial arts? Wang Can felt a storm of emotions surging within him as he stared blankly at the characters on the silk.

He is now either training soldiers in the schoolyard or staying in the tent reading books

Wang Can carefully examined the first figurine, committing the pose it struck to memory, before placing the silk close to his body. Such an important item could only be kept close to him for peace of mind

Wang Can, upon hearing this, let out a cold laugh and said, "You are their representative; can I assume that you also wish to take a break?"

"If you have something to say, just say it!" Wang Can said irritably

Swiftly gathering the yellow silk with the * picture * book, he then walked to the entrance of the tent to instruct the soldiers to guard the tent properly. Wang Can returned to the tent and took out the yellow silk again

As the soldier spoke, he slightly raised his head and caught a glimpse of Wang Can's expression, which was as cold as water, silently thinking that the situation was not good

Wang Can stared at the twenty-seven small figures on the silk, and an expression of disbelief soon appeared on his face

Wang Can shook his head and focused his gaze on the first figure of the first group

"Is there something?" Wang Can felt a shadow blocking the light in front of him, which prompted him to raise his head. He then closed the Tai Ping Yao Shu that was spread out on the table. However, as the cover page of the book closed, a fleeting look of astonishment flashed in Wang Can's eyes, only to be replaced instantly by calmness.

Wang Can took a deep breath, striving to calm his emotions.

For him, it is essential to first train the first group of little figures before proceeding further

In the early morning, the golden sunlight streams through the gaps in the tent, casting a shimmering glow on the ground

After reading through the entire text, Wang Cancai understood just how terrifying the Nanhua Immortal was. Damn, that old man provided Zhang Jiao with the Taiping Yao Shu, which was practically an encyclopedia.

Adult

At the very moment the soldier entered, the soldier stood before him, blocking part of the sunlight that streamed in, while another part illuminated the title page of the book. Just then, Wang Can turned the title page, directing it towards the incoming light, causing the shadows of the items on the page to be projected.

Come in! Wang Can remained motionless, still lowering his head, carefully reading the "Essentials of Peace" on the desk.

The soldier quickly shook his head: "My lord, I have absolutely no such intention, absolutely no such intention!"

The "Essentials of Peace" is divided into three volumes: the Volume of Astronomy and Geography, the Volume of Medicine, Divination, and Astrology, and the Volume of Military Strategy and Formation. It encompasses geography, astronomy, medicine, pharmacology, and military science, along with the enigmatic art of divination. It is truly remarkable to the highest degree, so much so that even Wang Can, a modern special forces soldier with extensive scientific knowledge, finds it difficult to comprehend, indeed it is profoundly mysterious

Zhang Jiao obtained the "Taiping Yao Shu" and, having understood some of the pharmacology for treating illnesses and saving lives, used a bit of medical knowledge to deceive the common people into following him in rebellion. Liu Bi and Gong Du were even worse; they were illiterate and sought out a few literate individuals to recite the "Taiping Yao Shu," but encountered a few foolish scholars who only understood concepts like the relationship between ruler and subject, missing out on a divine text. Wang Can scoffed inwardly; although he was not interested in astronomy, geography, medicine, or astrology, studying military formations was essential, as it is fundamental to leading troops in battle.

After the soldiers left, Wang Can opened the "Essentials of Taiping" and repeatedly rubbed his hand over the front page of the book, feeling a wrinkled and raised area.

The poses of the first group of nine little figures are relatively reliable, falling within the normal range of cognition; the poses of the second group of nine little figures are somewhat peculiar, appearing quite bizarre; the third group completely exceeds Wang Can's understanding, as each little figure's pose is extremely challenging and difficult to comprehend

Half a month has passed in the blink of an eye